Your trusted source

 During Russian-Georgian conflict days of 2008, Turkey appeared with an initiative to form Caucasus Platform. Some details have been unveiled after WikiLeaks published documents leaked from U.S. State Department.

Doug Silliman Charge at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara reported about his meeting with Turkish Deputy FM Cevikoz who told about Erdogan’s visit to Moscow.

“The atmosphere was collegial during PM Erdogan’s August 13 visit to MOSCOW , MFA Deputy U/S for Russia, Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia Cevikoz told CDA August 15. Erdogan met privately with both President Medvedev and PM Putin, who then hosted him for a working dinner, joined by FMs Babacan and Lavrov.

The Russians responded positively to Turkey’s proposal for a “Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform,” Cevikoz said. The proposal is intended to include the five Caucasus countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia and Turkey, and would be based on OSCE principles (to exclude Iran, Cevikoz quipped). Turkey wants the platform to have a mechanism for conflict resolution and crisis management, as well as elements to discuss economic cooperation, tourism, energy security and related issues.It would be based on OSCE principles to exclude Iran, Cevikoz quipped.”